As Flood Condition in Assam Worsens, Twitter Slams National Media for Remaining Aloof

The flood situation in Assam has worsened with the total number of deaths in this year’s flood-related incidents climbing to 18. Over 4 lakh people across over 800 villages in 15 districts have been affected. According to a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person identified as Suraj Chetri (22) drowned in the flood waters at Khumtai in Golaghat district on Wednesday. Authorities have set up 160 relief camps and distribution centres in eight districts, where 42,000 people are currently taking shelter. Many roads, embankments and bridges have been damaged by flood waters in Lakhimpur, Cachar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Majuli and Karimganj districts, ASDMA said.

However, like previous years, there is almost negligible attention from the national media on the calamity. The role of national media has been severely criticized on twitter. A twitter user named Muzammil Hamidani wrote, ‘12 Lakh Peoples are Displaced and 21 peoples have died. Mainstream media is not even covering it.’

Another user named Anshul Saxena tweeted, ‘People suffering in #AssamFloods and Media showing that ‘Passenger sleeps in coach, misses flight in Mumbai’ Is this a News? Unbelievable !’ He also offered to recharge for those flood affected people in Assam who are out of balance and requested them to send their phone numbers with operator name.

There has been a report on Assam floods by Al Jazeera, pointing to which some users questioned how national media can stay aloof when even international media has covered it.